It has to be with sadness and shared grief that a review is written on Lucinda Riley’s latest book in the Seven Sisters series, The Missing Sister. This book had been eagerly awaited and quickly taken up to read by those keen to discover what had happened to Merope the missing sister and why she had never been found.
A statement from Lucinda’s family not long after the book’s release advised the literary world and her readers alike that Lucinda Riley hadpassed away after brave and private battle with illness.
Lucinda Riley was an international best seller. Not only with the Seven Sisters series but with many other stand-alone novels that were also captivating in the reading.
As with all Lucinda Riley’s novels especially the Seven Sisters series this 7th book is historically accurate in detail, and it finally exposes who Merope the missing sister is and her story. A story that takes the reader on a fast paced and exhaustive journey from the vineyards of New Zealand to Canada, England, France and onto Ireland. Lucinda once again cleverly weaves the story to include all the sisters, their stories past and present.
As the other sisters, now scattered across the globe, arrange to all meet again to say a final farewell to their beloved adopted father Pa Salt they agree that they should have another attempt to find the missing sister to complete the circle of their adoptive family. Over the course of their own life discoveries, it has always been a futile exercise to piece together the story of the missing sister but now in possession of an image of a star shaped emerald ring and some coordinates they have to try one more time. Working together they try to complete a very complex life jigsaw, in some very imaginative and covert ways.
The story takes the reader through a world discovery tour, delving back into the past and in particular the Irish War of Independence. The book is not only a fascinating read but a history lesson as well…
Lucinda Riley was interviewed after she had completed The Missing Sister and talked to her readers directly that while the puzzle of the missing sister would be solved the story of Pa Salt was still left hanging. The Missing Sister was such a complex and lengthy story she felt that to further develop the narrative to include the tale of the intriguing Pa Salt would have been too much for one novel. Her intention was to complete the series in another book.
With her family’s permission a statement was provided that while Lucinda Riley sadly could not complete the 8th and final book to tie up those elusive loose ends about Pa Salt, his life and why he adopted the sisters,she had worked closely with her eldest son Harry who with the scaffold of Pa Salt’s story will complete the series with the 8th book due for release some time in the future.
As with all Lucinda Riley’s books it is a big book, but a page turner.
For those who have read the Seven Sisters series this final book about the sisters will be eagerly awaited and will be read with closure not only for the sisters and their stories but for an author who gave many readers countless hours of wonderful story telling and will be long remembered for doing so.
For more information on The Missing Sister and the Seven Sister Series by Lucinda Riley visit Pan Macmillan
